


The Failure of Apples

by Liron_aria



Series: The Sam Winchester School of Hunting [17]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Jacob is a giant puppy, Possible medical inaccuracies
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-10-02
Updated: 2014-10-02
Packaged: 2018-02-19 15:36:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2393681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Liron_aria/pseuds/Liron_aria
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"An apple a day keep the doctor away."</p>
<p>Too bad apples don't work on scoliosis.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Failure of Apples

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a prompt I got on Tumblr about Claire Novak and scoliosis.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Supernatural. If I did, Sam would get a ton more screen time, meaningful relationships with other characters, and Jess. Jess would come back.
> 
> But that is neither here nor there, so please, sit back and enjoy!

"This is going to be the end of my hunting career, isn’t it?" Claire said softly.

Jacob squeezed his wife’s hand reassuringly, intertwining their fingers and lifting them to kiss her wedding ring. “Hey, you’re gonna be fine, okay? Now you’ll just have more time to kick ass in the courtroom.”

Claire laughed lightly. “You remember when I first told you about it? You squeaked like a little girl.”

"I did  _not_!”

* * *

"Do you think I could use my scoliosis as a ‘significant challenge I have overcome’?"

Jacob blinked and sat up from where he had been sprawled across Claire’s carpet. “You have scoliosis?”

Claire huffed and looked up from her laptop screen. “I guess that’s my answer.”

Jacob frowned. “No, seriously, Claire. Scoliosis? That’s the muscle degeneration thing, right?”

Claire rolled her eyes. “No, Jake, that would be MS - multiple sclerosis. Scoliosis is when your spine curves side-to-side.”

"I - I didn’t know…" Jacob replied in consternation.

Claire shrugged. “I never told you. Here, let me show you.”

Claire turned, starting to pull off her T-shirt, and Jacob squeaked and immediately turned around, blushing furiously. “ _Claire_! Warn a person!”

"… Jake. We have been dating for nearly two years. You don’t need to have a crisis."

Jacob turned back around cautiously to see Claire with her back to him, and her T-shirt half-off. He could see it, the S-curve of her spine, where his went straight up in a line. He reached out tentatively, his fingertips tracing along the bumps of her vertebrae, and Claire twitched.”

Jake jerked back. “Sorry! Did I -“

"Your fingers are cold," Claire mumbled, readjusting her T-shirt. "Anyway, that’s all it is."

"… Does it hurt?"

Claire turned back to see Jacob looking at her with wide eyes, his forehead wrinkling.

… Holy  _cow_  was he good at recreating Sam’s sad puppy look, how was she supposed to deal with that?!

Claire’s expression softened and she bit down on a smile. “Sometimes. When I carry heavy stuff, or wear a heavy satchel too long. Sometimes when I sleep wrong, too. But it’s nothing a good dose of ibuprofen can’t deal with.”

Jacob’s puppy eyes got worse.

"Jake…"

"It’s not  _fair_ ,” the other teen blurted out, “You shouldn’t have to - after everything - you’re one of the most amazing people I know - it’s not  _fair!”_

Claire suddenly found herself with her face pressed against Jacob’s shoulder, his arms wrapped warm and tight around her. She smiled softly and returned his embrace, burrowing into him slightly. Jacob gave the best hugs.

"You’ll tell me if it gets worse, right?"

"Yeah, Jake."

"You promise?"

Claire chuckled. “I promise.”

Jacob hummed contentedly into her hair.

"… Can I go back to working on my Duke application now?"

* * *

Jacob pouted. “I did  _not_  squeak. It was a very manly sound of surprise.”

"Mhmm," Claire replied with a grin. "Sure, Jake."

The door to the medical examination room opened, and a doctor in a while lab coat entered, holding several X-ray sheets. He gave Claire and Jacob a reassuring smile. “Well, Mr. and Mrs. Novak, I’ve got good news and bad news.”

Jacob and Claire glanced at each other. “Bad news first.”

The doctor pinned up the X-ray sheets to a lightboard. “The bad news is that your increased back pain  _is_  because of your scoliosis getting worse.” The doctor gestured between two of the sheets. “This is your old X-ray, from when you were a teenager, and this is the one from last week.”

Claire and Jacob could see that the sideways curve of Claire’s spine had gotten more dramatic.

"The good news is that you won’t need surgery," the doctor continued. "Scoliosis at this level can be managed with physical therapy and NSAIDs without dramatically affecting your quality of life."

Claire sent Jacob a ‘ _see_?’ look at Jacob and nodded. 

"I’ll write you a prescription for 250 mg Naprosyn, to be taken with food twice a day, and we can increase the dosage if needed," the doctor said, scribbling on a sheet of paper, "I’m also going to refer you to a physical therapist, Angela Hawkins. You should get a call from her office in a day or two, but if you don’t, just give us a call, and we’ll try and sort it out."

Claire took the proffered sheet of paper.

"Since this is a prescription, I do have to warn you that Naprosyn is a Class C pregnancy risk - it shouldn’t be taken during the third trimester. But I’m sure you already know that if you choose to have a child, your back pain is likely to be more severe than normal, so that’s something to consider when it comes to your medication."

"That’s something a while off for us yet," Claire replied, "But, yes, I’m aware."

The doctor nodded. “Well, then that’s I’ll have for you. Do you have any questions for me?”

"No, thank you."

The doctor smiled. “Then I hope you enjoy the rest of your day.”

* * *

Claire breathed in the cool evening air as she stepped out of the doctor’s office. Jacob rubbed her back soothingly. “Hey. You doing okay?”

Claire smiled softly and turned towards him, accepting his kiss. “I will be. I always expected this day to come, and it’s not as bad as it could be.”

Jacob held his wife close. “You’re the strongest woman I know. You’re going to kick this thing’s ass, and then go take over the world.”

Claire laughed. “One step at a time, Jake. I have to take over the Cabinet first.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts? Comments? Concerns? Please, let me know!
> 
> You can find snippets and headcanons for SWSH here: http://queen-of-carven-stone.tumblr.com/tagged/The-Sam-Winchester-School-of-Hunting


End file.
